“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Whether you’ve heard this quote by Benjamin Franklin or not, you would probably agree that these words are true. This is why safety is such an important factor for every company. And when it comes to construction, there may be even more at stake than in other industries. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure safety on your jobsite, and this blog post will help you to do just that.

Safety Should Be a Priority

Safety shouldn’t be something that management talks about, but doesn’t enforce. Jobsite safety should take precedence over every other aspect of your company, and if it is not a priority in your company, it needs to be. Making safety the most important thing not only helps to reduce costs, but it can also improve productivity on site. Because accidents lead to additional costs as well as delays in projects, when you make safety a priority, you lessen the chances of accidents occurring on site, and you save money in the process.

Get Workers Invested in Safety

A great way to begin making safety a priority is to enlist the help of your workers and get them invested in the process of ensuring safety on site. By putting together a safety committee where workers review and update safety rules, create safety plans, and express their safety concerns, the workers will feel more invested and committed to creating a safe environment. And when your whole team is committed to making safety a priority, it will be much easier to follow through with safety rules set in place.

Training

It seems obvious to train your workers before they begin the job; but this isn’t where it ends. Training your workers is a continuous thing and should be done on a regular basis, not only as new rules and policies arise, but you should also use training as a refresher to remind workers of what they were previously taught. Ongoing training will help keep workers up to date on all things to do with the company, ensuring that they are better equipped to do their job. Regularly training workers also shows that a company is dedicated to keeping their workers safe.

Hold Everyone Accountable

Those in management aren’t the only ones responsible for the safety of the company; everyone needs to play a part in ensuring safety onsite. Workers need to be aware of the safety protocols set in place and need to be held accountable for the decisions they make onsite. Workers need to understand that it is not just about their safety as individuals, but also about the safety of their fellow colleagues. They need to be aware that when they put themselves at risk, they put everyone else at risk too. Workers should hold each other accountable, and adhere to safety policies, so that their decisions don’t put themselves or others at risk.

Rewards and Consequences

It is important that a company follows the safety procedures that are put in place because these procedures protect them from accidents that could occur on site as a result of neglecting safety. Management, this applies to you too. It’s important for you to be a positive influence on your workers, and that means being a good role model and following the rules too. By following the rules as well as enforcing them, you are empowering your workers to do the same. And when someone doesn’t adhere to safety protocols, there needs to be consequences for their actions. Likewise, when someone is following all safety protocols, attending safety meetings, wearing necessary protective equipment, and making suggestions to further improve safety, their efforts should be acknowledged and rewarded.

Administer Daily Site Inspections and Safety Meetings

While rules can be followed and policies upheld, a big part of enforcing safety protocols is holding inspections on a daily basis. These should be held, not only at the beginning and end of the workday, but your jobsite should also be inspected throughout the day to check for misplaced tools and damaged equipment. The jobsite should also be inspected for hazards and also as a way to monitor workers throughout the day to ensure that they are working safely and following safety protocols.

Additionally, your company should hold daily safety meetings to go over the tasks scheduled to be performed that day and the safety protocols to go with them. These meetings can also be used to go over the previous day, address any safety issues or concerns, and find solutions for the issues addressed. Holding daily meetings to discuss safety concerns will greatly help to create a safe work environment.

Safety is an important part of your company and should not be overlooked. Part of succeeding as a company is making sure the jobsite and everyone on the jobsite is kept safe. So it’s time for your company to start prioritizing safety. By using the tips in this blog, not only will you help to create a safe environment for you and your workers, but you will also empower your workers to do the same.